I’ve been pondering collaborative writing workflows of late since David Wain brought it up in conversation with Brett Terpstra. Version control systems like Git and Subversion seem like reasonable options, but the trouble is you generally have to be a coding nerd to wrap your head around them.

Gitbox is one of those apps that cuts right through the bull. If you’re interested in Git but don’t know where to start, it’s a great option to get you up and running. Sure, it’s got power tools built in so you can go nuts with branches and, um, tags and things. Of all the Git apps out there Gitbox feels the most Mac-like and intuitive to me. Work with your files, commit and push. Easy.

I recommend you set up a free, private Git repository over at Beanstalk1 and start pushing files to it with Gitbox. That’s how I learned that version control doesn’t have to be scary, and might even be useful for creative work.

Oh yeah, Gitbox is on sale for $9.99. (The free version limits you to a single repository.) Use this link to buy it and I’ll get a few pennies.

There is a certain allure to GitHub, but they don’t offer free private repos. I prefer to get my feet wet in private (and for free).↩